Makeover By Monday | 3-Day Venezuelan-Inspired Kitchen Makeover

This weekend’s ‘Makeover by Monday’ 3-Day renovation at my buddy Armando’s was the most fun transformation yet! Armando was one of the first friends I made when I moved to Milwaukee, almost 10 years ago. He has such an exuberant energy. It’s always a good time hanging out with Armando. You definitely saw that in the episode, ha! Our laughter-filled pottery-making session was one of my favorite moments of the season; I laughed until I cried. It was exactly the kind of lighthearted fun I needed during an intense three-day kitchen makeover.

Armando recently purchased this house, and I knew this kitchen had all sorts of untapped potential. I have been wanting to get in there and renovate it since I saw those pink walls and builder-grade cabinets. The laminate floor and old blinds had to go! The whole kitchen lacked the character the rest of the house has. My mission was clear: create a communal, entertaining space where Armando could truly enjoy cooking and hosting; a space filled with the energy and character that matches his!

The After!! The kitchen is filled with character now! When I was working on the design, I wanted to incorporate elements of Armando’s Venezuelan heritage. I did research on Venezuelan homes and noticed pottery and coffee and infused into the decor. The biggest undertaking was planking both walls and ceilings, but I love the texture it added to the blank walls. I could have stopped there, but planking the walls and ceilings was just the beginning. I had seen floors where the tile and wood run into each other, creating a really cool effect. I wanted to try that on the walls. So, each plank needed to be individually cut around the tile. Whew! The decision to leave staggered edges and then seamlessly connect it with the planking was a bold move, but our carpenter, Michael, did an amazing job. The finished product was a showstopper!

Added Wood Accents

I really wanted to preserve the vintage cast-iron sink, so we just updated it with a brass faucet and replaced the old countertops with butcher block. To play off the wood countertops, we created floating shelves out of cedar wood and a DIY peg rail. All that wood added richness to the space. With the other wood elements bringing in the warmth, I went for a faux slate vinyl tile on the floor which called back to the Venezuelan inspiration.

DIY Projects

There were some really fun DIYs in this episode! I crafted a stunning hand-painted tile tray and aged new stools to exude antique charm to complement the vintage island I got from Farm Girl Antiques. Stay tuned for the tile tray DIY! The cedar floating shelves, filled with pottery, added vibrant colors and life to the kitchen!

The Details

There are so many more details in this kitchen: the Venezuelan framed coffee bag, the DIY peg rail! All the items that I thrifted to make this kitchen really personal for my friend. If you have any questions about the details or if there’s anything I missed, please leave a comment with questions! All the shopping information is below.